Copyholder



Nov. 17, 1942. L. w. SHAFER COPY HOLDER Filed July 27, 1940 [Ms WSHAFE/P Patented Nov. 17, 1942 COPYHOLDER Lewis W. Shafer, Bridgeport, Conn, assignor to Remington Rand Inc, Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application July 27, 1940, Serial No. 347,913

5 Claims.

This invention relates to copyholders, and more particularly to means for localizing and retaining a copyholder in position relative to a typewriter or like machine.

An object of the present invention is to prcvide a simple and effective retaining means for a copyholder which may be readily adjusted to positively coact with the lower edge of the frame of a typewriting machine regardless of the height of said lower edge of the frame from its supporting surface.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement wherein such retaining means is adjustably mounted on a carrier which is in turn adjustably mounted on the base of the copyholder to permit movement of the retaining means to and from cooperative position with relation to the frame of the typewriting machine.

Still further objects, purposes and characteristic features of the present invention will appear as the description thereof progresses, during which references will be made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of a copyholder equipped with the devices of the present invention, the view illustrating the copyholder in its position of operation relative to a portion of the frame of a typewriting machine.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

The present invention has been shown as embodied in a Remington Secretarial model Linea-time copyholder such as fully disclosed in the co-pending application Serial No. 329,938 filed April 16, 1940. However, it is to be understood that the devices of the present invention are not restricted to embodiment in this specific type of copyholder, but may be embodied as well in various other types of models of copyholders.

The copyholder disclosed in the above mentioned application includes a rear base member ID, the left-hand portion of which is shown in the present drawing. The left-hand end portion of the base Ill is provided with two resilient rubber feet [2 whereby it is supported on a desk top or other supporting surface M. The supporting surface M in the present instance also supports a typewriting machine, and a rear corner portion T of the frame of such typewriting machine is shown in the drawing as supported thereon by the usual resilient rubber feet, such as the foot l6 shown in Fig, 1. When the copyholder is being used with a typewriting machine, the rear base member I0 is placed in spaced parallel relation to the rear portion of the frame T of the typewriting machine.

In the present copyholder, the copy carrying members are supported above the typewriting machine on vertically disposed guide rods, such as the guide rod I8 shown in the drawing. Inasmuch as the major portion of weight of the copyholder is located in the copy carrying members which are disposed a considerable distance above the supporting surface it, there is considerable tendency for the copy-holder to be accidently tipped during operation either. forwardly, res vardly or sidewise with relation to the typewriting machine. Accord ly means are provided in accordance wit the present invention for localizing and ret ining the rear base member it with relation to the t writing machine T in order to prevent the co holder from being accidently tipped in any dire assist in retaining the copyholder against lateral shifting on the supporting surface i l.

The specifically illustrating form of this retaining means comprises a chmnel-shaped carrier member it having spaced upstanding flange portions iii. The rearward end of the carrier 28 is pivctally mounted on the extreme left-hand end of the rear base member Hi by a headed s row 22 which passes upwardly through openings in the base member l8 and the carrier A reduced diameter upper end portion of the screw 22 carries a friction and a lock washer 25 as shown in S, and a nut 20 is threaded on this reduced diameter upper end portion of the screw 22 to hold the lower surface of the friction washer as aga st the shoulder formed by the larger diamet portion of the screw 22. The enlarged diameter portion of the screw 22 is of a length substantially equal to the combined thickness of the base member if and the carrier 20 so that the lower surface of the friction washer 2 3 also engages the upper surface of the carrier 20 to offer a certain amount of resistance to horizontal pivotal movements of the carrier with relation to the base.

The forward end of the ca rier 26: is offset downwardly toward the supp surface M as shown in the drawing, and this oifset portion is provided with a resilient rubber foot which may be the same as the rubber feet :2 on the rear base member Ill. The upper end of this rubber foot 28 is provided with an enlarged rounded head portion which may be compressed to pass through an opening in the ca rier Zil thereby retain the fcot in its illustrated position on the carrier. The carrier 20 normally extends forwardly at substantially right .1 base member it, and the her foot 28 with the mally furnishes additi nal holder against forward tip.,ing on.

A retaining device is adjustably mounted on the carrier 20 in accordance with the present invention to coact with the lower rear edge portion of the typewriting machine frame T. This ret aining device is in the form of a metal strip or arm 30 having its rearward end portion formed to embrace the body portion of a pivot screw 32 as shown in Fig. 3. This rearward end portion of the arm 35 is disposed between the upstanding flanges 2! of the carrier 29, and the pivot screw 32 extends through an opening in one of these flanges and a reduced diameter end portion of this screw is threaded into a tapped opening in the other of the flanges. Spacing washers M are provided on the screw 32 between the sides of the arm 39 and the flanges 2! whereby the retaining arm is mounted for pivotal movement in a substantially vertical plane with relation to the carrier.

The forward portion of the retaining arm 3%] coacts with the typewriting machine, and a pad in the form of a resilient rubber sleeve 36 is provided on this forward portion of the retaining arm to form a contact portion for engaging the lower rear edge of the typewriting machine frame as shown in Fig. 1. Adjustable means are provided in accordance with the present invention for holding the retaining arm upward to maintain effective engagement between the rubber sleeve 35 and the edge of the typewriter frame. This means comprises a screw 33 threaded through a tapped opening in the retaining arm 39 so that the lower end of the screw engages the upper surface of the carrier 23. The upper end of the screw 38 is provided with an adjusting knob in the form of a knurled head 48, whereby the front end of the retaining arm 39 may be raise-d or lowered into or out of engagement with the lower edge of the frame of the typewriting machine.

In order to prevent the adjusting screw 38 from turning due to vibration'or the like, means are provided for offering a certain amount of resistance to turning movement of the screw with relation to the retaining arm. This means in the present instance comprises an expansion spring 42 surrounding the screw 38 and extending between the upper surface of the arm 30 and the lower surface of the knob 40. The frictional engagement of the ends of the spring 42 with the arm 38 and knob 40 just offers sufiicient resistance to turning movement of the screw 38 so that when the knob 49 is turned to effectively engage the rubber sleeve 36 with the lower edge of the typewriter frame, the vibration incidental to the operation of the typewriter or the copyholder will not cause the adjusting screw to become loosened.

When it is desired to remove the copyholder from its operative position with relation to the typewriter, the knob 49 may be turned to release the gripping engagement of the sleeve 36 with the typewriter frame, and the carrier 2!] that may then be swung about its pivot 22 to its dotted line position shown in Fig. 2. In this position, it will be clear that the front end of the retaining arm 3:] will be in the rear of the typewriter frame thereby permitting the copyholder to be easily removed.

A simple and highly effective means for localizing and retaining a copyholder in its position of operation relative to a typewriting machine has thus been provided. A particular feature of this mechanism is the provision of a carrier which may be moved with relation to the base of the copyholder to and from a position wherein the retaining arm is in cooperative relation with the frame of the typewriter. The retaining arm may further be adjusted with relation to the carrier in a transverse plane with relation to the plane of movement of the carrier itself and thereby bring th contact portion of the retaining arm into eifective engagement with the frame of the typewriter. This arrangement thus operates to securely hold the rear portion of the copyholder against tipping in any direction as well as holding this portion of the copyholder securely on the supporting surface against unwarranted shifting thereon. It will further be apparent that the retaining arm is adjustable to elfectively cooperate with the lower edge of the frame of a typewriting machine of various makes wherein the lower edge of the frame may be different distances above the supporting surface.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a copyholder, the combination of a base and means for retaining said base in position relative to a typewriting or like machine, said means including a carrier, a retaining arm mounted for vertical pivotal movement relative to said carrier, means for pivotally mounting said carrier to said base to afiord horizontal movement of said retaining arm into and out of cooperative position relative to said machine, screw adjusting means coacting between said arm and said carrier for moving said arm into and out of engagement with said machine, and means for offering resistance to the adjusting movement of said screw adjusting means.

2. In a copyholder, the combination of a base and means for retaining said base in position relative to a typewriting or like machine, said means including a carrier, a retaining arm mounted for vertical pivotal movement relative to said carrier, means for pivotally mounting said carrier to said base to afford horizontal movement of said retaining arm into and out of cooperative position relative to said machine, and screw adjusting means coacting between said arm and said carrier for moving said arm into and out of engagement with said machine.

3. In a copyholder, the combination of a base and means for retaining said base in position relative to a typewriting or like machine, said means including a carrier, a retaining arm mounted for pivotal movement relative to said carrier, means for pivotally mounting said carrier to said base to afford movement of said retaining arm into and out of cooperative position relative to said machine, and adjusting means coacting between said arm and said carrier for moving said arm into and out of engagement with said machine.

4. In a copyholder, the combination of a base, a carrier pivotally mounted on said base, a retaining arm pivotally mounted on said carrier, a headed screw threaded through a tapped opening in said arm to engage said carrier and pivotally move the arm relative to the carrier, and an expansion spring disposed between said arm and the head on said screw.

5. In a copyholder, the combination of a base, a carrier having spaced flanges, a retaining arm pivotally mounted between said flanges, means coacting between said arm and said carrier for adjustably limiting the movement of said arm in one direction relative to said carrier, and means for pivotally mounting said carrier on said base.

LEWIS W. SHAFER. 

